Immune Responses in the CNS in Epilepsy

© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. All rights reserved. This chapter discusses the current knowledge on the activation and role of inflammation in epileptic disorders by reporting the current available evidence from experimental and clinical research. This topic takes into account the contributions of both the innate and adaptive branches of the immune system and includes a discussion of the roles of specific autoantibodies in emerging seizure-related disorders. Although the key factors contributing to the induction of seizures in epilepsy are still largely unknown, there is increasing evidence supporting a role of specific inflammatory mediators and immune cells. Major challenges in this field for better understanding the causes of these complex disorders, including developing novel therapies, will be highlighted. This edition first published 2014